Saying something is “the best thing since sliced bread” is great unless you’re the head of Sliced Bread Inc. Such is the premise within Little Caesars’ first-ever Super Bowl commercial. In the spot, airing during Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, someone remarks that Little Caesars’ new delivery service is the greatest invention since…well…the aforementioned segmented bread product. The news gets back to Sliced Bread Inc’s head, aka Rainn Wilson, which triggers a meltdown of epic proportions. Like the Dot Com bubble burst of the late 1990s (or the one that’s around the corner), Sliced Bread crumbles. If would be heartbreaking if Rainn’s reactions weren’t so hilarious.
As if it was taking place in a parallel universe where The Office’s Dwight Schrute got out of Scranton and found his way to Silicon Valley, Rainn freaks out in all sorts of ways. He promises not to cry (before he cries.) He thinks he’s found the result, only to see a group of his coworkers enjoying lunch from Little Caesars. “No, no, no, no, no!” he shouts, smacking the pizza out of his betrayers’ hands. “This is not happening!” It’s happening, and soon, it’s a full Lord Of The Flies scenario. Someone is blowing a conch shell, another person is riding an ostrich, and a despondent Rainn holds a loaf of burning bread.
The news comes after Little Caesars announced that, after a twenty-year hiatus, it’s bringing back delivery at 90% of its stores (for $2.99 and a 10% service charge.) Over the past two-decades, Little Caesars stressed its carryout service, symbolized the company’s Hot-N-Ready pizza. “We’ve seen such expensive and complex pricings throughout the pizza industry, and we think it’s crazy,” said David Scrivano, President & CEO of Little Caesars, per USA Today. “Some chains require a minimum purchase to get their deals, or the discount pricing is only available on carryout orders. We’re excited to bring much-needed affordability to delivered pizza.”
“It’s only fitting to use the world’s biggest stage to debut the biggest value in pizza delivery,” David added, per AdWeek. “We’ve taken all of the things customers love about Little Caesars: extreme value, quality, and convenience, and rolled them into our new delivery service.”
There’s plenty of free pizza in store for people if Little Caesars’ Super Bowl debut wins big. The chains said it will offer free Hot-N-Ready lunch combos on Feb. 17 – for carryout, not delivery – if this Sliced Bread commercial wins the top stop in the USA Today Ad Meter ranking, according to AdAge.